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East End Ration #6
A Ration Book Victory
'An enthralling page-turner' DILLY COURT
'A heart-warming WW2 love story' ROSIE GOODWIN
'The queen of East End sagas' ELAINE EVEREST
Jean Fullerton, the RNA-shortlisted queen of the East End, returns with the final nostalgic and heart-warming story of the Brogan family.
_____
In the final days of war, only love will pull her through . . .
Queenie Brogan wasn't always an East End matriarch. Many years ago, before she married Fergus, she was Philomena Dooley, a daughter of Irish Travellers, planning to wed her childhood sweetheart, Patrick Mahone. But when tragedy struck and Patrick's narrow-minded sister, Nora, intervened, the lovers were torn apart.
Fate can be cruel, and when Queenie arrives in London she finds that Patrick Mahone is her parish priest, and that the love she had tried to suppress flares again in her heart.
But now in the final months of WW2, Queenie discovers Father Mahone is dying and must face losing him forever. Can she finally tell him the secret she has kept for over fifty years or will Nora once again come between them?
And if Queenie does decide to finally tell Patrick, could the truth destroy the Brogan family?
___
Praise for Jean
'Charming and full of detail... You will ride emotional highs and lows... Beautifully written' The Lady on A Ration Book Daughter
'A delightful, well researched story' bestselling author Lesley Pearse
*
What are readers saying about Jean Fullerton?
'I loved it. Easy to read and loveable characters. If you love novels set during WW2 then this is a must read.'
'A must-read story that I'd strongly recommend for readers who enjoy historical family stories.'
'This author never fails to keep you enthralled with each page. Hopefully this isn't the last we see of the Brogans.'
THE RATION BOOK SERIES
A Ration Book Dream
A Ration Book Christmas
A Ration Book Childhood
A Ration Book Wedding
A Ration Book Daughter
A Ration Book Christmas Kiss
A Ration Book Christmas Broadcast
A Ration Book Victory
'A heart-warming WW2 love story' ROSIE GOODWIN
'The queen of East End sagas' ELAINE EVEREST
Jean Fullerton, the RNA-shortlisted queen of the East End, returns with the final nostalgic and heart-warming story of the Brogan family.
_____
In the final days of war, only love will pull her through . . .
Queenie Brogan wasn't always an East End matriarch. Many years ago, before she married Fergus, she was Philomena Dooley, a daughter of Irish Travellers, planning to wed her childhood sweetheart, Patrick Mahone. But when tragedy struck and Patrick's narrow-minded sister, Nora, intervened, the lovers were torn apart.
Fate can be cruel, and when Queenie arrives in London she finds that Patrick Mahone is her parish priest, and that the love she had tried to suppress flares again in her heart.
But now in the final months of WW2, Queenie discovers Father Mahone is dying and must face losing him forever. Can she finally tell him the secret she has kept for over fifty years or will Nora once again come between them?
And if Queenie does decide to finally tell Patrick, could the truth destroy the Brogan family?
___
Praise for Jean
'Charming and full of detail... You will ride emotional highs and lows... Beautifully written' The Lady on A Ration Book Daughter
'A delightful, well researched story' bestselling author Lesley Pearse
*
What are readers saying about Jean Fullerton?
'I loved it. Easy to read and loveable characters. If you love novels set during WW2 then this is a must read.'
'A must-read story that I'd strongly recommend for readers who enjoy historical family stories.'
'This author never fails to keep you enthralled with each page. Hopefully this isn't the last we see of the Brogans.'
THE RATION BOOK SERIES
A Ration Book Dream
A Ration Book Christmas
A Ration Book Childhood
A Ration Book Wedding
A Ration Book Daughter
A Ration Book Christmas Kiss
A Ration Book Christmas Broadcast
A Ration Book Victory
386 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 5, 2022
51 people are currently reading
117 people want to read
About the author
Jean Fullerton
30 books198 followersI was born into a large, East End family and grew up in the overcrowded streets clustered around the Tower of London. I still live in East London, just five miles from where I was born. I feel that it is that my background that gives my historical East London stories their distinctive authenticity.
I first fell in love with history at school when I read Anya Seton’s book Katherine. Since then I have read everything I can about English history but I am particularly fascinated by the 18th and 19th century and my books are set in this period. I just love my native city and the East End in particular which is why I write stories to bring that vibrant area of London alive.
I am also passionate about historical accuracy and I enjoy researching the details almost as much as weaving the story. If one of my characters walks down a street you can be assured that that street actually existed. Take a look at Jean’s East End and see the actual location where my characters played out their stories.
I first fell in love with history at school when I read Anya Seton’s book Katherine. Since then I have read everything I can about English history but I am particularly fascinated by the 18th and 19th century and my books are set in this period. I just love my native city and the East End in particular which is why I write stories to bring that vibrant area of London alive.
I am also passionate about historical accuracy and I enjoy researching the details almost as much as weaving the story. If one of my characters walks down a street you can be assured that that street actually existed. Take a look at Jean’s East End and see the actual location where my characters played out their stories.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 74 reviews
April 1, 2022
What a wonderful finish to a fantastic series! I have loved being with the Brogan family from the very beginning. The highs, the lows, the love affairs and the disasters, all were intriguing and thoroughly enjoyable. All of us know or knew families like this at one time or another which makes it so real. Indeed, my own Great Grandmother was a bit of a 'Queenie'.
All the family are here again but make no mistake, this is Queenie's and Father Mahon's story from start to finish. There are flash back chapters to Kinsale, in Ireland, in the eighteen hundreds which tell their story from the beginning and it works really well.
A thread of sadness runs through this book and at times I outright cried. Queenie is a great character and I loved discovering what the bond between herself and Patrick was.
I'm only sorry I won't get to spend time with the Brogans anymore but I can't wait to see what this author serves us up next!
All the family are here again but make no mistake, this is Queenie's and Father Mahon's story from start to finish. There are flash back chapters to Kinsale, in Ireland, in the eighteen hundreds which tell their story from the beginning and it works really well.
A thread of sadness runs through this book and at times I outright cried. Queenie is a great character and I loved discovering what the bond between herself and Patrick was.
I'm only sorry I won't get to spend time with the Brogans anymore but I can't wait to see what this author serves us up next!
May 13, 2022
I have really enjoyed this series and I think Fullerton did the right thing ending it here, as I don’t think there are many other ways to have created different stories about the Brogan family.
Reading this book, I felt that it had a joyful, celebratory tone, as if Fullerton was writing this experiencing the highs of completing a series. In that sense, it felt like the last day of the school term, before the lengthy summer holidays, and I think this made the book even more enticing. Coupled with the fact that this novel focuses on my favourite Brogan, Queenie, I was excited to learn more about the vivacious grandmother.
Slightly different to the other books, each chapter also includes a small flashback to Queenie’s time in Ireland. Through these episodes, readers learn about the history between her and Father Mahone, which has always been debated over the series. I was fascinated by these scenes because it gave so much more depth to Queenie’s character and I loved watching the past shared between her and Mahone.
Yet, at the same time the book focuses on all the other characters of the expanding Brogan family. In this sense, all the plot ties conclude rather satisfactorily at the end of the book, leading to a jolly good, happy ending – just what I was hoping for! Based on all of these back stories, this is definitely a book best enjoyed when you have read the other books in the series because there is so much history that you need to be aware of. Therefore, when I started reading this novel, it did feel like I was returning to a neighbour, a family I knew so well. It was a lovely, heart-warming sensation.
This was a satisfying read and so well-written. I can’t believe how Fullerton has managed to make each book individual from the last and the writer has done it again this time around. Although the war does not feature prominently in the story, being over by about half-way through the novel, it showed how society moved onwards from the conflict, including the all-important election which resulted in the end of Churchill’s leadership.
I’m sad that this series has ended as I have thoroughly enjoyed every page. True to the end, Fullerton’s research makes this historical read feel very accurate and I particularly liked the cameo from two very young Kray brothers in this story. It has all felt very realistic and like I was living through this period of history with the Brogan family. A great, victorious series with likeable characters, this is a historical read that I would highly recommend.
With thanks to Corvus books and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Reading this book, I felt that it had a joyful, celebratory tone, as if Fullerton was writing this experiencing the highs of completing a series. In that sense, it felt like the last day of the school term, before the lengthy summer holidays, and I think this made the book even more enticing. Coupled with the fact that this novel focuses on my favourite Brogan, Queenie, I was excited to learn more about the vivacious grandmother.
Slightly different to the other books, each chapter also includes a small flashback to Queenie’s time in Ireland. Through these episodes, readers learn about the history between her and Father Mahone, which has always been debated over the series. I was fascinated by these scenes because it gave so much more depth to Queenie’s character and I loved watching the past shared between her and Mahone.
Yet, at the same time the book focuses on all the other characters of the expanding Brogan family. In this sense, all the plot ties conclude rather satisfactorily at the end of the book, leading to a jolly good, happy ending – just what I was hoping for! Based on all of these back stories, this is definitely a book best enjoyed when you have read the other books in the series because there is so much history that you need to be aware of. Therefore, when I started reading this novel, it did feel like I was returning to a neighbour, a family I knew so well. It was a lovely, heart-warming sensation.
This was a satisfying read and so well-written. I can’t believe how Fullerton has managed to make each book individual from the last and the writer has done it again this time around. Although the war does not feature prominently in the story, being over by about half-way through the novel, it showed how society moved onwards from the conflict, including the all-important election which resulted in the end of Churchill’s leadership.
I’m sad that this series has ended as I have thoroughly enjoyed every page. True to the end, Fullerton’s research makes this historical read feel very accurate and I particularly liked the cameo from two very young Kray brothers in this story. It has all felt very realistic and like I was living through this period of history with the Brogan family. A great, victorious series with likeable characters, this is a historical read that I would highly recommend.
With thanks to Corvus books and Rachel’s Random Resources for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 11, 2022
A Ration Book Victory marks the end of an era in more ways that one. Firstly, as the title suggests, it sees the end of the Second World War. Secondly, it’s the sixth and final book featuring the Brogan family. It’s a series I’ve loved since I picked it up at book two, A Ration Book Christmas. That was followed by A Ration Book Childhood, A Ration Book Wedding and A Ration Book Daughter. (There was also a novella, A Ration Book Christmas Kiss.)
A Ration Book Victory not only allows readers to catch up with the Brogan family as the end of WW2 approaches but also explores the early life in Ireland of the formidable matriarch of the clan, Queenie – or Philomena Dooley as she was known then. It’s a tender story of early love that might not have stood up on its own but works well alongside the goings-on in the Brogan household in the final months of the war. However, although the war in Europe may soon be over there’s still fighting continuing elsewhere and not everyone is yet out of danger.
What an extensive clan the Brogan family have become! The book gives us an endearing picture of a multi-generational household, where everyone pitches in and there aren’t many problems that can’t be solved over a cuppa. It’s a family that includes a surprising amount of diversity including adopted and illegitimate children, and interracial relationships.
The book has a beautifully judged balance of humour – a case of mistaken identity during the VE Day celebrations springs to mind – and moments of sadness. I doubt many will have a dry eye as Queenie faces up to the impending death of the man she has known – and loved – for fifty years, Father Mahon. And I’m quite sure readers like me will be praying that characters such as Nora Mahon and Aunt Pearl get a suitable come-uppance.
I thought A Ration Book Victory was the perfect ending to the series with all of Ida’s and Jeremiah’s children branching out and moving on, as are they themselves. ‘The world had changed, and the Brogans had changed with it.’
A Ration Book Victory not only allows readers to catch up with the Brogan family as the end of WW2 approaches but also explores the early life in Ireland of the formidable matriarch of the clan, Queenie – or Philomena Dooley as she was known then. It’s a tender story of early love that might not have stood up on its own but works well alongside the goings-on in the Brogan household in the final months of the war. However, although the war in Europe may soon be over there’s still fighting continuing elsewhere and not everyone is yet out of danger.
What an extensive clan the Brogan family have become! The book gives us an endearing picture of a multi-generational household, where everyone pitches in and there aren’t many problems that can’t be solved over a cuppa. It’s a family that includes a surprising amount of diversity including adopted and illegitimate children, and interracial relationships.
The book has a beautifully judged balance of humour – a case of mistaken identity during the VE Day celebrations springs to mind – and moments of sadness. I doubt many will have a dry eye as Queenie faces up to the impending death of the man she has known – and loved – for fifty years, Father Mahon. And I’m quite sure readers like me will be praying that characters such as Nora Mahon and Aunt Pearl get a suitable come-uppance.
I thought A Ration Book Victory was the perfect ending to the series with all of Ida’s and Jeremiah’s children branching out and moving on, as are they themselves. ‘The world had changed, and the Brogans had changed with it.’
May 3, 2022
A Ration Book Victory is the eighth and concluding instalment of Jean Fullerton’s WWII East End saga and catches up with the big-hearted Brogan family in the final months of the war. Previous books have focused on specific family members and this book elaborates on indomitable matriarch Philomena Dooley, known to all in the East End as Queenie, and traces her story right back to childhood in the Irish village of Kinsale. As grandmother to Jeremiah and daughter-in-law Ida’s seven children and great-grandmother to eight and still rising, Queenie has plenty of demands on her time. Nevertheless she is a faithful devotee to the local parish of St Breda and St Brendan’s and in particular long-serving priest, Father Patrick Mahon, but it is only when he collapses and the full extent of his declining health comes to light that the Brogan’s start to notice the impact it has on her. Throughout the series Queenie has always played her cards close to her chest and although she has always hinted that her and Father Mahon knew each other as children in Ireland, she has several undisclosed secrets that threaten to unsettle those closest to her.
The novel employs a dual timeline and moves between the village of Kinsale, County Cork in 1877 when Philomena was five years old through to 1890 and her arrival as wife to Fergus and mother to Jeremiah in the East End that she has long called home. As the action moves back and forth between Queenie’s early years in Kinsale to present day London (opening in 1945) the story that unfolds isn’t particularly surprising given several heavy-handed hints but it is sensitively done. Alongside the overarching story focusing on Queenie and Father Mahon, the entire Brogan clan are planning for the future and thinking about life after the war. Jeremiah’s expanding removal and delivery business is threatening to outgrow its premises, Billy’s real mother wants to play a part in his life and with Mattie, Cathy, Jo and Charlie all married, the soon to be reunited family seems to be growing by the day. Although I found the opening of the novel involving and pretty action-packed as Fullerton updates readers on the lives of all of the family members, I was disappointed that by halfway through the book seemed to be marking time in preparation to draw to a close. Apart from tying up some obvious loose ends I found the content of the second-half prosaic, even for a WWII saga novel, and the pace sluggish.
Despite only having read two previous instalments of this series I had no problem keeping track of the plentiful cast of characters or picking up the stories that I had missed, but this concluding instalment will mean most to diehard fans of the series and is very much about brighter days ahead after the VE Day celebrations.
The novel employs a dual timeline and moves between the village of Kinsale, County Cork in 1877 when Philomena was five years old through to 1890 and her arrival as wife to Fergus and mother to Jeremiah in the East End that she has long called home. As the action moves back and forth between Queenie’s early years in Kinsale to present day London (opening in 1945) the story that unfolds isn’t particularly surprising given several heavy-handed hints but it is sensitively done. Alongside the overarching story focusing on Queenie and Father Mahon, the entire Brogan clan are planning for the future and thinking about life after the war. Jeremiah’s expanding removal and delivery business is threatening to outgrow its premises, Billy’s real mother wants to play a part in his life and with Mattie, Cathy, Jo and Charlie all married, the soon to be reunited family seems to be growing by the day. Although I found the opening of the novel involving and pretty action-packed as Fullerton updates readers on the lives of all of the family members, I was disappointed that by halfway through the book seemed to be marking time in preparation to draw to a close. Apart from tying up some obvious loose ends I found the content of the second-half prosaic, even for a WWII saga novel, and the pace sluggish.
Despite only having read two previous instalments of this series I had no problem keeping track of the plentiful cast of characters or picking up the stories that I had missed, but this concluding instalment will mean most to diehard fans of the series and is very much about brighter days ahead after the VE Day celebrations.
July 17, 2022
Sad that this wonderful series has ended but, this final book was sooo good. It dealt mainly with Queenie and her childhood connections with Father Patrick. But, it also carried on with the family during the latter end of WW2. I do hope that Jean Fullerton starts another series soon.
May 2, 2022
I guess it goes without saying that with such a title A RATION BOOK VICTORY would mark the end of the war and therefore bringing a close to the series. And of course I haven't been with the Brogan family for the duration, meeting them only halfway through and then again with this final installment. Having met them in
"A Ration Book Wedding"
I was eager at the prospect of revisiting them once again and, thus the focus of this book and my favourite character, Queenie.
A RATION BOOK VICTORY brings an end the series the story also takes us back to the very beginning, enlightening readers as to Queenie's early years back in Ireland. Now it goes without saying that Queenie is probably everyone's favourite character. She has spunk, she has character, she has enough gumption to scare Hitler into submission had she been given the chance. But she was also lovable and in this final installment, we are given a glimpse into her past untold and a secret that she has carried with her for the past fifty odd years.
It's February 1945 and what appears to be the final days of the war as the Allies begin to push the enemy further back towards surrender. The people of Britain have had enough of war after six long years, particularly in the East End where they copped the brunt of the Luftwaffe's bombs and then the dreaded doodlebugs and V-2's. But the stiff upper lip of the British people remain stoic throughout and the Brogans are the stalwarts of the Irish East End. They've seen births, marriages and deaths in their family that is fit to bursting and now we come full circle as the story goes back to the very beginning to the last century, in the days of the old Queen, before this generation and the next were even a twinkle.
Before she was Queenie Brogan, she was Philomena Dooley, born August 1871 in the Emerald Isle to a travelling family before they set their roots down in Kinsale. When she was but five years old, the outspoken Philomena (even then) met young Patrick Mohan who was but a year her senior. The two are inseparable friends over the years despite his family being the prosperous farming family and she but a tinker's daughter. In a time when class was everything, it meant nothing to the two friends who grew to be inseparable into their teens. But a tragic twist of fate came between them...and thus a further turn of events that would change the course of Philomena's life forever.
Now it is 1945 and Queenie has lived through two world wars, marriages, births and deaths and she stands alone as the matriarch of the Brogan clan. She has raised a family, become a grandmother and a great-grandmother and now she lives with her son Jeremiah and his wife Ida with their three remaining children at home - Billy, Michael and Victoria (a surprise baby). But don't let her age fool you, Queenie is a feisty old woman when she wants to be, particularly when it comes to protecting her brood.
But one thing has always remained. Love. A love that was promised until her dying breath. Its secret running deep that has never died. And now Queenie must face the past and reveal the secret she has held for over five decades...before it's too late.
As the final in this heartwarming series, A RATION BOOK VICTORY is about love...coming home...revelations...and coming full circle. It is an end of an era. There are some heartbreaking as well as heartwarming scenes, so have those tissues handy. There are also a couple of famous (and infamous) figures who feature briefly. Ronnie and Reggie Kray as young teens. And the brief appearance of Princess Elizabeth amidst VE celebrations.
I love the dual timeline aspect of A RATION BOOK VICTORY, which takes us back to another time and a much younger Queenie, with hopes and dreams, before she was matriarch. It sheds something of a light on the lovable old woman as we see her in a much different way. Alongside young Philomena's story continues the ongoing saga of the Brogans and their lives and loves, as the war comes to an end bringing change for everyone.
I wasn't there in the beginning for the Brogan's story - for all their respective births, marriages and deaths - but I caught a glimpse and I intend on going back and meeting them all again from the beginning sometime. A RATION BOOK VICTORY is a wonderful heartwarming read that will make you laugh and cry as it brings this delightful series to a close. But although it has come to an end, the books will live on and readers can relive their enjoyment and the loves and lives of the Brogans from the beginning.
I would like to thank #JeanFullerton, #CorvusBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #ARationBookVictory in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
A RATION BOOK VICTORY brings an end the series the story also takes us back to the very beginning, enlightening readers as to Queenie's early years back in Ireland. Now it goes without saying that Queenie is probably everyone's favourite character. She has spunk, she has character, she has enough gumption to scare Hitler into submission had she been given the chance. But she was also lovable and in this final installment, we are given a glimpse into her past untold and a secret that she has carried with her for the past fifty odd years.
It's February 1945 and what appears to be the final days of the war as the Allies begin to push the enemy further back towards surrender. The people of Britain have had enough of war after six long years, particularly in the East End where they copped the brunt of the Luftwaffe's bombs and then the dreaded doodlebugs and V-2's. But the stiff upper lip of the British people remain stoic throughout and the Brogans are the stalwarts of the Irish East End. They've seen births, marriages and deaths in their family that is fit to bursting and now we come full circle as the story goes back to the very beginning to the last century, in the days of the old Queen, before this generation and the next were even a twinkle.
Before she was Queenie Brogan, she was Philomena Dooley, born August 1871 in the Emerald Isle to a travelling family before they set their roots down in Kinsale. When she was but five years old, the outspoken Philomena (even then) met young Patrick Mohan who was but a year her senior. The two are inseparable friends over the years despite his family being the prosperous farming family and she but a tinker's daughter. In a time when class was everything, it meant nothing to the two friends who grew to be inseparable into their teens. But a tragic twist of fate came between them...and thus a further turn of events that would change the course of Philomena's life forever.
Now it is 1945 and Queenie has lived through two world wars, marriages, births and deaths and she stands alone as the matriarch of the Brogan clan. She has raised a family, become a grandmother and a great-grandmother and now she lives with her son Jeremiah and his wife Ida with their three remaining children at home - Billy, Michael and Victoria (a surprise baby). But don't let her age fool you, Queenie is a feisty old woman when she wants to be, particularly when it comes to protecting her brood.
But one thing has always remained. Love. A love that was promised until her dying breath. Its secret running deep that has never died. And now Queenie must face the past and reveal the secret she has held for over five decades...before it's too late.
As the final in this heartwarming series, A RATION BOOK VICTORY is about love...coming home...revelations...and coming full circle. It is an end of an era. There are some heartbreaking as well as heartwarming scenes, so have those tissues handy. There are also a couple of famous (and infamous) figures who feature briefly. Ronnie and Reggie Kray as young teens. And the brief appearance of Princess Elizabeth amidst VE celebrations.
I love the dual timeline aspect of A RATION BOOK VICTORY, which takes us back to another time and a much younger Queenie, with hopes and dreams, before she was matriarch. It sheds something of a light on the lovable old woman as we see her in a much different way. Alongside young Philomena's story continues the ongoing saga of the Brogans and their lives and loves, as the war comes to an end bringing change for everyone.
I wasn't there in the beginning for the Brogan's story - for all their respective births, marriages and deaths - but I caught a glimpse and I intend on going back and meeting them all again from the beginning sometime. A RATION BOOK VICTORY is a wonderful heartwarming read that will make you laugh and cry as it brings this delightful series to a close. But although it has come to an end, the books will live on and readers can relive their enjoyment and the loves and lives of the Brogans from the beginning.
I would like to thank #JeanFullerton, #CorvusBooks and #RachelsRandomResources for an ARC of #ARationBookVictory in exchange for an honest review.
This review appears on my blog at https://stinathebookaholic.blogspot.com/.
March 7, 2022
From A Ration Book Dream to this book A Ration Book Victory I have lived along side the Brogan Family and their fight to survive the war.I have to say that out of all the Brogans Queenie is my favourite as she is such a strong lady but she won't have her family hurt.Through the series we have gone through so many emotions as the Brogans live their lives as they always do but with determination to all be together again when war ends,I have so loved this book even though it had me spitting feathers or crying and I will miss the Brogans but i can re-read them all.Thank you Jean Fullerton for a terrific journey with Queenie and the family.5*
April 24, 2022
A Ration Book Victory by Jean Fullerton is a marvellous historical novel. It is the final book in the East End Ration Book series but can be read as a stand-alone.
The action takes place in 1945 as Britain is nearing the end of the war. This is interspersed with a backwards glance to Ireland in the late nineteenth century as the reader hears about the youth of the Brogan family matriarch. We witness life and light in a young life. It is good to hear of Queenie’s background as it helps us to understand her character, exactly what has shaped her life. She was not born an old matriarch, once she was young with hopes and dreams and loves. Outwardly she looks old, but inwardly her youthful heart and spirit remain.
The whole book is about love. The love for our family members – not necessarily blood related but those whom we love and who love us.
We witness the fierce love that protects and sacrifices in contrast to the ‘love’ that uses a person. We may not always agree with the choices made by the young, but love stands beside them.
There is a love that has never died. It has stood silently by but has run deep. There are some very emotional scenes towards the end – don’t forget the tissues!
The east end community spirit is strong. It is warm and welcoming as lives pull together.
Victory in Europe was a day of celebration and perfectly capture by Jean Fullerton. I particularly liked the scene meeting the young Princess Elizabeth.
World War II claimed many lives – but ordinary daily life continued as people still fell in love, married and had children.
A Ration Book Victory was a wonderful read. It was a snapshot in time that showed the indomitable British bulldog spirit as people kept calm, drank tea and carried on. I loved it.
I received a free copy from Rachel’s Random Resources. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
The action takes place in 1945 as Britain is nearing the end of the war. This is interspersed with a backwards glance to Ireland in the late nineteenth century as the reader hears about the youth of the Brogan family matriarch. We witness life and light in a young life. It is good to hear of Queenie’s background as it helps us to understand her character, exactly what has shaped her life. She was not born an old matriarch, once she was young with hopes and dreams and loves. Outwardly she looks old, but inwardly her youthful heart and spirit remain.
The whole book is about love. The love for our family members – not necessarily blood related but those whom we love and who love us.
We witness the fierce love that protects and sacrifices in contrast to the ‘love’ that uses a person. We may not always agree with the choices made by the young, but love stands beside them.
There is a love that has never died. It has stood silently by but has run deep. There are some very emotional scenes towards the end – don’t forget the tissues!
The east end community spirit is strong. It is warm and welcoming as lives pull together.
Victory in Europe was a day of celebration and perfectly capture by Jean Fullerton. I particularly liked the scene meeting the young Princess Elizabeth.
World War II claimed many lives – but ordinary daily life continued as people still fell in love, married and had children.
A Ration Book Victory was a wonderful read. It was a snapshot in time that showed the indomitable British bulldog spirit as people kept calm, drank tea and carried on. I loved it.
I received a free copy from Rachel’s Random Resources. A favourable review was not required. All opinions are my own.
May 4, 2022
A Ration Book Victory by Jean Fullerton is the eighth novel in The East End Ration Book Series. I was able to read A Ration Book Victory as a standalone, but I believe it would have benefited me to have read the whole series. I could have gotten to know the characters and their backstories. I thought A Ration Book Victory was well-written with interesting, developed characters. I enjoyed getting to know the extended Brogan family as they endured World War II. This is Queenie and Father Patrick Mahon’s story. The whole family is present, but the focus is on those two. There are flashback chapters that gives us Queenie and Father Mahon story from the beginning. It is an emotional story. There is plenty of family drama as well. We get to see the good times and the bad with the Brogan clan. Queenie is a special character. I like that we get to see glimpses of the little girl who became the matriarch of the Brogan clan. It was enjoyable learning about the bond between Queenie and Father Patrick Mahon. We get to see the indomitable British spirit as these brave people endure a long war with a stiff upper lip and plenty of tea. It did not matter which house you were in, there was always a kettle on the hob. They get to have a cup of tea, get a shoulder to cry on, and then they carry on. I am definitely going to go back and read all the books in The East End Ration Book Series. A Ration Book Victory is a fitting end to this charming saga. A Ration Book Victory is tickety book with egg exchanges, a bothersome sister, gregarious grandchildren, ration frustrations, a poorly parish priest, a special sense, and a lasting love.
May 23, 2022
Aww wow what a wonderful and fitting ending to the Brogan family saga.
Every book deals with a character's story within the family and it's very apt that the final novel in the series deals with the tale of the matriarch of the family, the grandmother Queenie.
In a clever narrative device that skips from the war years back to the late Victorian era we hear more of Queenie's youth and her life in Ireland charting her love affair with Patrick Mahon and the lifelong bitter hatred and rivalry between her and Patrick's sister Nora.
In the present Patrick is gravely ill and we see Queenie wrestling with her conscience wondering whether to tell Patrick so late in life of the one great secret in her life, one that she has kept for over fifty years.
A secret that if revealed has the propensity to shatter the Brogan family apart.
Time is running out so does Queenie tell all and maybe give solace to Patrick in his final days and salve her conscience or risk resentment and anger over what she has to reveal within her family?
Maybe losing the secret love she and Patrick share forever?
This was a wonderful story, I have thoroughly enjoyed every one and I was so excited to hear Queenie's story and the author thankfully dealt with all the other strands of the family narrative so there were no question marks or loose ends.
A fantastic read, every single novel and I'm sad it's not over.
I originally discovered this author and series by winning an ARC of one of the books and got so hooked into the Brogan family I instantly back catalogued the preceding ones.
Wonderful.
Every book deals with a character's story within the family and it's very apt that the final novel in the series deals with the tale of the matriarch of the family, the grandmother Queenie.
In a clever narrative device that skips from the war years back to the late Victorian era we hear more of Queenie's youth and her life in Ireland charting her love affair with Patrick Mahon and the lifelong bitter hatred and rivalry between her and Patrick's sister Nora.
In the present Patrick is gravely ill and we see Queenie wrestling with her conscience wondering whether to tell Patrick so late in life of the one great secret in her life, one that she has kept for over fifty years.
A secret that if revealed has the propensity to shatter the Brogan family apart.
Time is running out so does Queenie tell all and maybe give solace to Patrick in his final days and salve her conscience or risk resentment and anger over what she has to reveal within her family?
Maybe losing the secret love she and Patrick share forever?
This was a wonderful story, I have thoroughly enjoyed every one and I was so excited to hear Queenie's story and the author thankfully dealt with all the other strands of the family narrative so there were no question marks or loose ends.
A fantastic read, every single novel and I'm sad it's not over.
I originally discovered this author and series by winning an ARC of one of the books and got so hooked into the Brogan family I instantly back catalogued the preceding ones.
Wonderful.
May 7, 2022
I have loved reading about the Brogan family and this visit was no exception, throughout this saga we have learnt snippets about the matriarch of the family Queenie and we get to learn more about her life before she came to London.
As the end of the war approaches we spend time with all of the Brogan children and get to see how their lives have changed throughout the course of the war.
I absolutely love historical fiction based in London during WWII and the Brogan family always keep me entertained.
As the end of the war approaches we spend time with all of the Brogan children and get to see how their lives have changed throughout the course of the war.
I absolutely love historical fiction based in London during WWII and the Brogan family always keep me entertained.
June 14, 2022
A Ration Book Victory
This is the eighth book in this series by Jean Fulleron
The others are :
A Ration Book Dream
A Ration Book Christmas
A Ration Book Childhood
A Ration Book Wedding
A Ration Book Daughter
A Ration Book Christmas Kiss
A Ration Book Christmas Broadcast
and this last one A Ration Book Victory
Having read six out of the eight I can honestly say I found them very interesting as it covers the time of the second world war and all the difficulties all families faced with the deprivations and rations of most goods and even the difficulties of just how they managed to enjoy ordinary things that make our lives even today...We have experienced some of this with all the restrictions we have all had during Covid lockdown and beyond so are able to relate to it quite well.
I felt this last book was not as good as the rest as it took a few pages to get into the story but when I did it was enjoyable and made a fitting end to the series.
This is the eighth book in this series by Jean Fulleron
The others are :
A Ration Book Dream
A Ration Book Christmas
A Ration Book Childhood
A Ration Book Wedding
A Ration Book Daughter
A Ration Book Christmas Kiss
A Ration Book Christmas Broadcast
and this last one A Ration Book Victory
Having read six out of the eight I can honestly say I found them very interesting as it covers the time of the second world war and all the difficulties all families faced with the deprivations and rations of most goods and even the difficulties of just how they managed to enjoy ordinary things that make our lives even today...We have experienced some of this with all the restrictions we have all had during Covid lockdown and beyond so are able to relate to it quite well.
I felt this last book was not as good as the rest as it took a few pages to get into the story but when I did it was enjoyable and made a fitting end to the series.
June 7, 2022
This is (I believe) the last of Jean Fullerton’s Ration Book series.
I enjoyed the second part more than the first as there was a lat of characters which took time to sort out. This was due to their very small input into the story and were therefore not developed very thoroughly. Also the narrative flips between When the main character Queenie was a child and a grandmother.
Philomena Dooley was the daughter of Irish travellers who settled in a village house to enable the children to get an education. She falls in love with Patrick Mahon who adores her. Instead of getting married Patrick is coerced into becoming a priest. Unfortunately his sister Nora hates Philomena as the man she wants marries her instead.
Philomena moves to London with her husband and Father Patrick ends up as her parish priest. Queenie now a grandmother must decide whether to tell her secrets as Father Patrick is now dying!
I enjoyed the earlier books in this series more than this one but it’s an ok read.
I was given this book in return for an honest review
I enjoyed the second part more than the first as there was a lat of characters which took time to sort out. This was due to their very small input into the story and were therefore not developed very thoroughly. Also the narrative flips between When the main character Queenie was a child and a grandmother.
Philomena Dooley was the daughter of Irish travellers who settled in a village house to enable the children to get an education. She falls in love with Patrick Mahon who adores her. Instead of getting married Patrick is coerced into becoming a priest. Unfortunately his sister Nora hates Philomena as the man she wants marries her instead.
Philomena moves to London with her husband and Father Patrick ends up as her parish priest. Queenie now a grandmother must decide whether to tell her secrets as Father Patrick is now dying!
I enjoyed the earlier books in this series more than this one but it’s an ok read.
I was given this book in return for an honest review
May 25, 2022
First of all I have to admit that I was at a bit of a disadvantage when I read this book. This type of fiction is not my usual read so I am not familiar with any of the previous novels in the series, which have followed the fortunes of the Brogan family throughout the period of the Second World War.
This final novel covers the months leading up to the end of the war in Europe and is interspersed with “flashbacks “ to when the matriarch of the family was a young girl in Ireland.
The narrative supplies a colourful picture of what life may have been like in the East End of London at that time, describing the day to day life and surroundings of the inhabitants. However, when it comes to the family itself that is when I felt at a disadvantage. The Brogans are a large family and each family member has established his or her character and position over the previous seven novels.Unfortunately I found it hard to remember each persons “place “ in the family (and sometimes even names——- all those children! ).
This is a story of family. There are no big surprises and there is no complicated plot. All in all a pleasant read, but it is probably best to read it as a finale to the series and not as a stand-alone.
This final novel covers the months leading up to the end of the war in Europe and is interspersed with “flashbacks “ to when the matriarch of the family was a young girl in Ireland.
The narrative supplies a colourful picture of what life may have been like in the East End of London at that time, describing the day to day life and surroundings of the inhabitants. However, when it comes to the family itself that is when I felt at a disadvantage. The Brogans are a large family and each family member has established his or her character and position over the previous seven novels.Unfortunately I found it hard to remember each persons “place “ in the family (and sometimes even names——- all those children! ).
This is a story of family. There are no big surprises and there is no complicated plot. All in all a pleasant read, but it is probably best to read it as a finale to the series and not as a stand-alone.
March 14, 2022
A bangin read, grab the hankies,
The Brogan Family in the final days of WW2 February 1945 Book six sadly the end of this wonderful series what a journey it's been.
Mafeking Terrace, London. Queenie Philomena Brogan loves her brood that are all still growing giving her sweet balm of old age. The war with Hitler and Germany is ending,
she has lived here with her son Jeremiah and Ida for thirteen years sailing over from Kinsale Ireland as a widow.
This book is a cracking ending and Queenie Philomena Dooley takes us back to 1880 as a fifteen years old as we learn the true story and its not one to be missed.
I do phrase the author for all her hard work for creation this wonderful series that we grow to love the Brogan family as our friends and neighbours. It brought so much comfort to me reading all the characters own stories and the changes that will happen in the coming months for them.
this book made me laugh and cry, an incredible heart-warming read right through to the end. And its a final goodbye to the series but the books will live on and give enjoyment to read again and again. I will miss the Brogan's and look forward to hopefully a new series to come from this author. Loved it all.
The Brogan Family in the final days of WW2 February 1945 Book six sadly the end of this wonderful series what a journey it's been.
Mafeking Terrace, London. Queenie Philomena Brogan loves her brood that are all still growing giving her sweet balm of old age. The war with Hitler and Germany is ending,
she has lived here with her son Jeremiah and Ida for thirteen years sailing over from Kinsale Ireland as a widow.
This book is a cracking ending and Queenie Philomena Dooley takes us back to 1880 as a fifteen years old as we learn the true story and its not one to be missed.
I do phrase the author for all her hard work for creation this wonderful series that we grow to love the Brogan family as our friends and neighbours. It brought so much comfort to me reading all the characters own stories and the changes that will happen in the coming months for them.
this book made me laugh and cry, an incredible heart-warming read right through to the end. And its a final goodbye to the series but the books will live on and give enjoyment to read again and again. I will miss the Brogan's and look forward to hopefully a new series to come from this author. Loved it all.
May 10, 2022
I have been a fan of Jean’s work for a while now. I am particularly fond of the series the ‘Ration Book Series’, which is set in the East End of London. I have read and loved all the books in the series. When I heard that Jean was due to release another book in the series, I knew that I had to read it just as soon as I could. Well ladies and gents the wait is over because the eighth book in the ‘Ration Book Series’ is called ‘A Ration Book Victory’ and it was released on 5th May 2022. I adored reading ‘A Ration Book Victory’ but more about that in a bit.
I have to say that I love the character of Queenie Brogan and I warmed to her from the very start. In fact I ended up feeling as though she had become a friend of mine and I felt all protective of her. This book is more focussed on Queenie and events as they have happened throughout her life. In the prologue we meet Queenie in 1877, when she was still living in Ireland with her family. Queenie was rather fond of a lad called Patrick that she had met and had got to know and the feelings were reciprocated. Only something happens that leads to the couple breaking up. When we catch up with Queenie in 1945, she is married to a man, but her childhood sweetheart happens to be the local priest, who is gravely ill. Secrets start to be revealed and the truth emerges. How does this affect Queenie and Patrick? Well for the answer to that question and so much more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
Oh my word, I was drawn to ‘A Ration Book Victory’ the moment I saw Jean’s name on the cover of a book that I hadn’t read yet and as soon as I started reading, I knew that there was no chance of me doing anything other than reading for the rest of the day. I picked the book up only intending to read a chapter or two to make a start but I ended up becoming so wrapped up in the story and in the lives and loves of the characters that I was still sat there reading over 6 chapters and an hour later. This was one of those stories that stayed with me whether I had the book in my hand or not. If I wasn’t reading the book I was thinking about it. If I had to put the book to one side for any length of time then I would immediately look forward to being able to pick the book up again. I had my own theories as to what was going to happen and I had to keep reading to see if I was anywhere near the truth. I had taken so well to the character of Queenie that I just couldn’t bear to miss a single second of the story. I soon got to the end of ‘A Ration Book Victory’ and I had to say a reluctant goodbye to Queenie and the rest of the Brogan clan. I found ‘A Ration Book Victory’ to be a gripping and an at times emotional read.
‘A Ration Book Victory’ is superbly written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Jean Fullerton. Jean has one of those writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. In fact reading one of Jean’s books feels more like a chat between friends rather than reading a book. I hope that makes sense. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintains a fairly brisk pace throughout. Jean clearly cares about her characters and this shines through in the very vivid and realistic way in which she describes them. She makes them seem just as real as you and I. Reading ‘A Ration Book Victory’ took me on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster ride with lots of twists and turns along the way. I love the way in which Jean makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story themselves and at the heart of the action.
In short, I adored reading ‘A Ration Book Victory’ and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Jean’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
I have to say that I love the character of Queenie Brogan and I warmed to her from the very start. In fact I ended up feeling as though she had become a friend of mine and I felt all protective of her. This book is more focussed on Queenie and events as they have happened throughout her life. In the prologue we meet Queenie in 1877, when she was still living in Ireland with her family. Queenie was rather fond of a lad called Patrick that she had met and had got to know and the feelings were reciprocated. Only something happens that leads to the couple breaking up. When we catch up with Queenie in 1945, she is married to a man, but her childhood sweetheart happens to be the local priest, who is gravely ill. Secrets start to be revealed and the truth emerges. How does this affect Queenie and Patrick? Well for the answer to that question and so much more you are just going to have to read the book for yourselves to find out as I am not going to tell you.
Oh my word, I was drawn to ‘A Ration Book Victory’ the moment I saw Jean’s name on the cover of a book that I hadn’t read yet and as soon as I started reading, I knew that there was no chance of me doing anything other than reading for the rest of the day. I picked the book up only intending to read a chapter or two to make a start but I ended up becoming so wrapped up in the story and in the lives and loves of the characters that I was still sat there reading over 6 chapters and an hour later. This was one of those stories that stayed with me whether I had the book in my hand or not. If I wasn’t reading the book I was thinking about it. If I had to put the book to one side for any length of time then I would immediately look forward to being able to pick the book up again. I had my own theories as to what was going to happen and I had to keep reading to see if I was anywhere near the truth. I had taken so well to the character of Queenie that I just couldn’t bear to miss a single second of the story. I soon got to the end of ‘A Ration Book Victory’ and I had to say a reluctant goodbye to Queenie and the rest of the Brogan clan. I found ‘A Ration Book Victory’ to be a gripping and an at times emotional read.
‘A Ration Book Victory’ is superbly written but then I have come to expect nothing less from Jean Fullerton. Jean has one of those writing styles that is easy to get used to and easy to get along with. In fact reading one of Jean’s books feels more like a chat between friends rather than reading a book. I hope that makes sense. For me, the story hit the ground running and maintains a fairly brisk pace throughout. Jean clearly cares about her characters and this shines through in the very vivid and realistic way in which she describes them. She makes them seem just as real as you and I. Reading ‘A Ration Book Victory’ took me on a bit of an emotional rollercoaster ride with lots of twists and turns along the way. I love the way in which Jean makes the reader feel as though they are part of the story themselves and at the heart of the action.
In short, I adored reading ‘A Ration Book Victory’ and I would definitely recommend it to other readers. I will certainly be reading more of Jean’s work in the future. The score on the Ginger Book Geek board is a very well deserved 5* out of 5*.
May 22, 2022
A Ration Book Victory is the eighth and concluding instalment of Jean Fullerton’s WWII East End saga and catches up with the big-hearted Brogan family in the final months of the war. Previous books have focused on specific family members and this book elaborates on indomitable matriarch Philomena Dooley, known to all in the East End as Queenie, and traces her story right back to childhood in the Irish village of Kinsale. As grandmother to Jeremiah and daughter-in-law Ida’s seven children and great-grandmother to eight and still rising, Queenie has plenty of demands on her time. Nevertheless she is a faithful devotee to the local parish of St Breda and St Brendan’s and in particular long-serving priest, Father Patrick Mahon, but it is only when he collapses and the full extent of his declining health comes to light that the Brogan’s start to notice the impact it has on her. Throughout the series Queenie has always played her cards close to her chest and although she has always hinted that her and Father Mahon knew each other as children in Ireland, she has several undisclosed secrets that threaten to unsettle those closest to her.
The novel employs a dual timeline and moves between the village of Kinsale, County Cork in 1877 when Philomena was five years old through to 1890 and her arrival as wife to Fergus and mother to Jeremiah in the East End that she has long called home. As the action moves back and forth between Queenie’s early years in Kinsale to present day London (opening in 1945) the story that unfolds isn’t particularly surprising given several heavy-handed hints but it is sensitively done. Alongside the overarching story focusing on Queenie and Father Mahon, the entire Brogan clan are planning for the future and thinking about life after the war. Jeremiah’s expanding removal and delivery business is threatening to outgrow its premises, Billy’s real mother wants to play a part in his life and with Mattie, Cathy, Jo and Charlie all married, the soon to be reunited family seems to be growing by the day. Although I found the opening of the novel involving and pretty action-packed as Fullerton updates readers on the lives of all of the family members, I was disappointed that by halfway through the book seemed to be marking time in preparation to draw to a close. Apart from tying up some obvious loose ends I found the content of the second-half prosaic, even for a WWII saga novel, and the pace sluggish.
Despite only having read two previous instalments of this series I had no problem keeping track of the plentiful cast of characters or picking up the stories that I had missed, but this concluding instalment will mean most to diehard fans of the series and is very much about brighter days ahead after the VE Day celebrations.
The novel employs a dual timeline and moves between the village of Kinsale, County Cork in 1877 when Philomena was five years old through to 1890 and her arrival as wife to Fergus and mother to Jeremiah in the East End that she has long called home. As the action moves back and forth between Queenie’s early years in Kinsale to present day London (opening in 1945) the story that unfolds isn’t particularly surprising given several heavy-handed hints but it is sensitively done. Alongside the overarching story focusing on Queenie and Father Mahon, the entire Brogan clan are planning for the future and thinking about life after the war. Jeremiah’s expanding removal and delivery business is threatening to outgrow its premises, Billy’s real mother wants to play a part in his life and with Mattie, Cathy, Jo and Charlie all married, the soon to be reunited family seems to be growing by the day. Although I found the opening of the novel involving and pretty action-packed as Fullerton updates readers on the lives of all of the family members, I was disappointed that by halfway through the book seemed to be marking time in preparation to draw to a close. Apart from tying up some obvious loose ends I found the content of the second-half prosaic, even for a WWII saga novel, and the pace sluggish.
Despite only having read two previous instalments of this series I had no problem keeping track of the plentiful cast of characters or picking up the stories that I had missed, but this concluding instalment will mean most to diehard fans of the series and is very much about brighter days ahead after the VE Day celebrations.
July 20, 2022
Jean Fullerton brings her wonderful series about the Brogan family to a poignant and uplifting close with the final captivating installment, A Ration Book Victory.
Queenie Brogan might have been an East End matriarch for as long as most people can remember, but she wasn’t born within the sound of Bow’s Bells. Queenie had been christened Philomena Dooley and was the daughter of Irish travellers about to marry her childhood sweetheart Patrick Mahone. However, fate had intervened and when tragedy struck the two young lovers had been cruelly wrenched apart – mainly because of Patrick’s wickedly interfering sister, Nora. Queenie had come to London and got the shock of her life when she discovered that that the man she had once hoped to marry was now her parish priest.
Many years have passed and Queenie Brogan is now a fixture of the East End, but the weight of her past weighs heavily upon her shoulders and try as she might, she has never quite managed to vanquish old ghosts. With the Second World War finally coming to an end, Queenie discovers that Father Mahon is dying and she now faces the prospect of losing him forever. Will Queenie at long last find the courage to reveal to Father Mahon a secret she has kept close to her chest for fifty years? Or will evil Nora continue to come between them?
Queenie knows that the time has come for her to tell Patrick the truth, even if it means ripping apart the fabric of the life she has built for herself in East London as the matriarch of the Brogan family.
Jean Fullerton is the Queen of the East End saga and with A Ration Book Victory has written an emotional, dramatic and wonderfully enjoyable tale of family life, love lost and found and dangerous secrets that will keep readers spellbound and reaching for the tissues.
Jean Fullerton’s East End comes instantly to life and the world she creates is vibrant, colourful, immersive and full of wonderful characters that leap off the pages the second they make their appearance. In A Ration Book Victory, readers will find themselves gripped by Queenie Brogan’s powerful, poignant and heart-wrenching story that is sure to tug at the heartstrings.
Brilliantly written and wonderfully evocative, A Ration Book Victory is another smashing East End saga by Jean Fullerton.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Queenie Brogan might have been an East End matriarch for as long as most people can remember, but she wasn’t born within the sound of Bow’s Bells. Queenie had been christened Philomena Dooley and was the daughter of Irish travellers about to marry her childhood sweetheart Patrick Mahone. However, fate had intervened and when tragedy struck the two young lovers had been cruelly wrenched apart – mainly because of Patrick’s wickedly interfering sister, Nora. Queenie had come to London and got the shock of her life when she discovered that that the man she had once hoped to marry was now her parish priest.
Many years have passed and Queenie Brogan is now a fixture of the East End, but the weight of her past weighs heavily upon her shoulders and try as she might, she has never quite managed to vanquish old ghosts. With the Second World War finally coming to an end, Queenie discovers that Father Mahon is dying and she now faces the prospect of losing him forever. Will Queenie at long last find the courage to reveal to Father Mahon a secret she has kept close to her chest for fifty years? Or will evil Nora continue to come between them?
Queenie knows that the time has come for her to tell Patrick the truth, even if it means ripping apart the fabric of the life she has built for herself in East London as the matriarch of the Brogan family.
Jean Fullerton is the Queen of the East End saga and with A Ration Book Victory has written an emotional, dramatic and wonderfully enjoyable tale of family life, love lost and found and dangerous secrets that will keep readers spellbound and reaching for the tissues.
Jean Fullerton’s East End comes instantly to life and the world she creates is vibrant, colourful, immersive and full of wonderful characters that leap off the pages the second they make their appearance. In A Ration Book Victory, readers will find themselves gripped by Queenie Brogan’s powerful, poignant and heart-wrenching story that is sure to tug at the heartstrings.
Brilliantly written and wonderfully evocative, A Ration Book Victory is another smashing East End saga by Jean Fullerton.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
May 3, 2022
Time taken to read - 1 day
Pages - 358
Publisher - Corvus books
Source - Review copy
Blurb from the back cover
In the final days of war, only love will pull her through...
Queenie Brogan wasn't always an East End matriarch. Many years ago, before she married Fergus, she was Philomena Dooley, a daughter of Irish Travellers, planning to wed her childhood sweetheart, Patrick Mahone. But when tragedy struck and Patrick's narrow-minded sister, Nora, intervened, the lovers were torn apart.
Fate can be cruel, and when Queenie arrives in Londond she finds that Patrick Mahon is her parish priest, and that the love she had tried to suppress flares again in her heart.
But now in the final months of WW2, Queenie discovers Father Mahon is dying and must face losing him forever. Can she finally tell him the secret she has kept for fifty years or will Nora one again come between them?
And if Queenie does decide to finally tell Patrick, could the truth destroy the Brogan family?
My Review
There is something wonderful about a book that transports you from your own time/place/worries and into the live(s) of others. We open back in 1877 when Queenie (Philomena then) first meet, Ireland, he from a well standing family, her a traveler so classes apart but the two are drawn to each other. We flip to present day where World War 2 is ongoing and Queenie is a gran, widow, Patrick is the local priest and many years and events have passed. War is coming to an end and Queenie is about to have some more heartache.
I have read one of Fullerton's books before but not from this series, this is my first and I think you can absolutely pick this one up as a standalone. That being said I liked it so much I have ordered book one in the series and plan to read the series and catch up.
A ration book victory is more than just a family saga type book, it has duo timelines/location. Queenie is the main character but we have so many others playing their part, Nora, ugh, Patrick's horror sister - I actually can't bring myself to feel sorry for her, despite being an older lady her behaviour and circumstances ugh she and even when younger a busy body! The book takes us through friendship, family, love, loss, relationships, snobbery, classism but also things that give realism to the time period. Rationing, the importance of having your own livestock and how important that can be in terms of food and giving to people in your community.
Queenie is a livewire, as a youngster and as an older adult, she is sharp as a pin, full of heart but also not lying down to anyone, she takes no nonsense! I am so looking forward to reading the earlier books and getting wrapped up in that time period. Some of the things the author captures give authenticity to the time period but also helps the reader imagine living during that time, the horror, the fear, the community spirit, 4.5/5 for me this time!
Pages - 358
Publisher - Corvus books
Source - Review copy
Blurb from the back cover
In the final days of war, only love will pull her through...
Queenie Brogan wasn't always an East End matriarch. Many years ago, before she married Fergus, she was Philomena Dooley, a daughter of Irish Travellers, planning to wed her childhood sweetheart, Patrick Mahone. But when tragedy struck and Patrick's narrow-minded sister, Nora, intervened, the lovers were torn apart.
Fate can be cruel, and when Queenie arrives in Londond she finds that Patrick Mahon is her parish priest, and that the love she had tried to suppress flares again in her heart.
But now in the final months of WW2, Queenie discovers Father Mahon is dying and must face losing him forever. Can she finally tell him the secret she has kept for fifty years or will Nora one again come between them?
And if Queenie does decide to finally tell Patrick, could the truth destroy the Brogan family?
My Review
There is something wonderful about a book that transports you from your own time/place/worries and into the live(s) of others. We open back in 1877 when Queenie (Philomena then) first meet, Ireland, he from a well standing family, her a traveler so classes apart but the two are drawn to each other. We flip to present day where World War 2 is ongoing and Queenie is a gran, widow, Patrick is the local priest and many years and events have passed. War is coming to an end and Queenie is about to have some more heartache.
I have read one of Fullerton's books before but not from this series, this is my first and I think you can absolutely pick this one up as a standalone. That being said I liked it so much I have ordered book one in the series and plan to read the series and catch up.
A ration book victory is more than just a family saga type book, it has duo timelines/location. Queenie is the main character but we have so many others playing their part, Nora, ugh, Patrick's horror sister - I actually can't bring myself to feel sorry for her, despite being an older lady her behaviour and circumstances ugh she and even when younger a busy body! The book takes us through friendship, family, love, loss, relationships, snobbery, classism but also things that give realism to the time period. Rationing, the importance of having your own livestock and how important that can be in terms of food and giving to people in your community.
Queenie is a livewire, as a youngster and as an older adult, she is sharp as a pin, full of heart but also not lying down to anyone, she takes no nonsense! I am so looking forward to reading the earlier books and getting wrapped up in that time period. Some of the things the author captures give authenticity to the time period but also helps the reader imagine living during that time, the horror, the fear, the community spirit, 4.5/5 for me this time!
June 1, 2022
A Ration Book Victory is the eighth (and final) book in the Ration Book Series, I haven’t read any of the previous seven, I wish I had before delving into this one though – why must I keep on doing this to myself? I honestly think I am incapable of reading a series from book one these days! Even though this could be read as a stand-alone, I do think you need to read them all – or at least more than the very last book to fully grasp the connections between the books. I felt as though I had missed out on something, nothing that would have made me want to stop reading. It was like coming into a conversation at the end and not knowing what the topic was! I still enjoyed it though.
I was fully drawn into the Brogan family, they are a dynamic and lovable clan, they actually remind me of my own extensive and a rather dysfunctional family – we are quite the bunch of misfits, and we fully believe that all troubles and woes can be resolved at the kitchen table with a good old cuppa, that’s if we’re not squabbling. LOL! I really enjoyed getting to know the family, I will certainly be visiting the other books in the series to get to know the other Brogans too.
This is a tender and emotional second-chance romance, Queenie and Patrick were once sweethearts but animosity, jealousy and a vengeful sister broke them apart, years later, Queenie isn’t the woman Patrick once knew, she is the high-ranking matriarch of the Brogan clan. There is a lot of sadness in the form of a loved one, but the overriding thought as I read this was the feeling of moving on and the importance of family. Something most of us can relate to!
This is a story of lost loves and life-changing secrets with family loyalty entwined, again as I said a the start of this review I do wish I had read at least one of the previous books before reading this as I think knowing a little more about the family would have allowed me to connect with them more, but despite that, I did enjoy this book immensely.
I can’t say a word against the writing or the pitch-perfect pacing, the story flowed and I was swept along with the tide. I will certainly be reading more from Jean Fullerton again – next time I think I will start from the beginning of the series instead of hitch-hiking at the end.
I was fully drawn into the Brogan family, they are a dynamic and lovable clan, they actually remind me of my own extensive and a rather dysfunctional family – we are quite the bunch of misfits, and we fully believe that all troubles and woes can be resolved at the kitchen table with a good old cuppa, that’s if we’re not squabbling. LOL! I really enjoyed getting to know the family, I will certainly be visiting the other books in the series to get to know the other Brogans too.
This is a tender and emotional second-chance romance, Queenie and Patrick were once sweethearts but animosity, jealousy and a vengeful sister broke them apart, years later, Queenie isn’t the woman Patrick once knew, she is the high-ranking matriarch of the Brogan clan. There is a lot of sadness in the form of a loved one, but the overriding thought as I read this was the feeling of moving on and the importance of family. Something most of us can relate to!
This is a story of lost loves and life-changing secrets with family loyalty entwined, again as I said a the start of this review I do wish I had read at least one of the previous books before reading this as I think knowing a little more about the family would have allowed me to connect with them more, but despite that, I did enjoy this book immensely.
I can’t say a word against the writing or the pitch-perfect pacing, the story flowed and I was swept along with the tide. I will certainly be reading more from Jean Fullerton again – next time I think I will start from the beginning of the series instead of hitch-hiking at the end.
May 13, 2022
Originally reviewed for Chick Lit Central (www.chicklitcentral.com)
I’ll admit, this is my first trip with the Ration Book series–but A Ration Book Victory was easily read as a standalone, and I never felt as though I didn’t completely understand the characters and how they’re connected to one another. It was interesting to see the vast differences between experiences from when Queenie is a young woman, and then the fast forward to 1945, when the world is at odds and there is a lot of uncertainty with who to trust and how to move forward in what feels like new terrain. Life seemed to be a lot more simpler for Queenie in her childhood, up until the love of her life was ripped from her, in a way that made him available in many ways, but not in the ways she wanted him to be.
Some of my favorite scenes included the ones with Queenie and Patrick from their youth, and later in the more present time. There is an underlying yearning that time hasn’t been able to erase, even though their lives have taken them in two entirely different directions. It was mournful to witness, but in a way that only endeared me more to them and their story. There were little bread crumbs dropped along the way, subtle clues that let the reader in on what might be the thing that Queen has kept secret for so long, but done in a way so that you didn’t want to rely on it too much, because it would only make you second guess the secret.
Despite the large time difference between then and our present time, I felt like a lot of what the Brogan clan go through are still issues faced today–particularly with one character, Jo, who is dealing with fertility complications. It was a relatable experience for many couples. I appreciated that I got to know Queenie’s family so intimately and look forward to checking out the other books in the Ration Book series!
I’ll admit, this is my first trip with the Ration Book series–but A Ration Book Victory was easily read as a standalone, and I never felt as though I didn’t completely understand the characters and how they’re connected to one another. It was interesting to see the vast differences between experiences from when Queenie is a young woman, and then the fast forward to 1945, when the world is at odds and there is a lot of uncertainty with who to trust and how to move forward in what feels like new terrain. Life seemed to be a lot more simpler for Queenie in her childhood, up until the love of her life was ripped from her, in a way that made him available in many ways, but not in the ways she wanted him to be.
Some of my favorite scenes included the ones with Queenie and Patrick from their youth, and later in the more present time. There is an underlying yearning that time hasn’t been able to erase, even though their lives have taken them in two entirely different directions. It was mournful to witness, but in a way that only endeared me more to them and their story. There were little bread crumbs dropped along the way, subtle clues that let the reader in on what might be the thing that Queen has kept secret for so long, but done in a way so that you didn’t want to rely on it too much, because it would only make you second guess the secret.
Despite the large time difference between then and our present time, I felt like a lot of what the Brogan clan go through are still issues faced today–particularly with one character, Jo, who is dealing with fertility complications. It was a relatable experience for many couples. I appreciated that I got to know Queenie’s family so intimately and look forward to checking out the other books in the Ration Book series!
May 15, 2022
A Ration Book Victory by Jean Fullerton
This is the eighth book in the Ration Book series by Jean Fullerton and the first of hers I have read. At first, I found it quite confusing to work out who was who, as there are a lot of characters, but this probably would have been easier if I’d started with book one! I would have liked a list of characters at the start of the book, so I could refer to it when I got a bit lost.
The book has a dual timeline. It starts in Ireland in 1877, where the young Philomena meets Patrick Mahon. The book follows them growing up and see what happens to their friendship over the years.
In the other sections of the novel, it’s 1945 in London and coming towards the end of World War II. Philomena Brogan, known as Queenie, lives with her son Jeremiah, daughter-in-law Ida, grandsons Billy (15) and Michael (14) and granddaughter Victoria (3). Queenie has seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. By this time, Patrick is Father Mahon and still part of her life.
I loved the whole family feel to the book and there are so many great characters, each with their own issues to solve. I liked the relationships between the Brogan sisters and I enjoyed the 1940s setting, especially celebrating VE Day and the end of World War II. I was also interested by Tommy and Jo’s infertility story.
Queenie is a brilliant character, I loved her strength and feistiness. She’s a real matriarch and such a strong woman. I loved reading her story and how her love for Patrick had endured throughout the decades. (And I couldn’t stand Patrick’s sister Nora!)
An enjoyable read.
8.5 out of 10
This is the eighth book in the Ration Book series by Jean Fullerton and the first of hers I have read. At first, I found it quite confusing to work out who was who, as there are a lot of characters, but this probably would have been easier if I’d started with book one! I would have liked a list of characters at the start of the book, so I could refer to it when I got a bit lost.
The book has a dual timeline. It starts in Ireland in 1877, where the young Philomena meets Patrick Mahon. The book follows them growing up and see what happens to their friendship over the years.
In the other sections of the novel, it’s 1945 in London and coming towards the end of World War II. Philomena Brogan, known as Queenie, lives with her son Jeremiah, daughter-in-law Ida, grandsons Billy (15) and Michael (14) and granddaughter Victoria (3). Queenie has seven grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. By this time, Patrick is Father Mahon and still part of her life.
I loved the whole family feel to the book and there are so many great characters, each with their own issues to solve. I liked the relationships between the Brogan sisters and I enjoyed the 1940s setting, especially celebrating VE Day and the end of World War II. I was also interested by Tommy and Jo’s infertility story.
Queenie is a brilliant character, I loved her strength and feistiness. She’s a real matriarch and such a strong woman. I loved reading her story and how her love for Patrick had endured throughout the decades. (And I couldn’t stand Patrick’s sister Nora!)
An enjoyable read.
8.5 out of 10
May 5, 2022
Once again we are transported back in time to the hopeful end to WW2 and also back to Kinsale in Ireland in 1877 to read about Queenie's story. The book is interspersed with both but its no problem with understanding which era you are reading about. Queenie is Jeremiah's mother of Irish traveller descent and she is hiding a big secret, and when her friend and priest is taken to hospital she is distraught, will her secret be revealed?
The rest of the family, that we met in previous books ( Ida, Jeremiah, Cathy, Jo, Francesca, Mattie, Billy, Michael and Charlie) are also present in this the final installment of their stories. They are all wondering what they will do when eventually the war comes to an end, but will they in reality? This story really focuses on Queenie, her story from a child in Ireland to the darkest days of WW2, but the rest of the family is there also with the characters pulling together as always, this is truly a close knit family
Knowing this was the last in this series I truly didn't want this book to end, trying to read it slowly so I didn't get to the end too quickly but then also wanting to know what will become of this family that I had become so fond of. The Brogan family like any family then and now, had their family squabbles and also their happy occasions, but the closeness of this family really shines through. Once again written so knowledgeable and with such believable and lovable characters it was both a beautiful and yet heartbreaking story and I loved it. A superb 5 ☆ read.
The rest of the family, that we met in previous books ( Ida, Jeremiah, Cathy, Jo, Francesca, Mattie, Billy, Michael and Charlie) are also present in this the final installment of their stories. They are all wondering what they will do when eventually the war comes to an end, but will they in reality? This story really focuses on Queenie, her story from a child in Ireland to the darkest days of WW2, but the rest of the family is there also with the characters pulling together as always, this is truly a close knit family
Knowing this was the last in this series I truly didn't want this book to end, trying to read it slowly so I didn't get to the end too quickly but then also wanting to know what will become of this family that I had become so fond of. The Brogan family like any family then and now, had their family squabbles and also their happy occasions, but the closeness of this family really shines through. Once again written so knowledgeable and with such believable and lovable characters it was both a beautiful and yet heartbreaking story and I loved it. A superb 5 ☆ read.
May 19, 2022
This is the most recent book written by Jean Fullerton who has written a series of books about the lives of an East End family who are known as the Brogans. The stories take place during the second world war , they are now getting near the end of the war and the families are getting rather weary of it all. To add to their troubles, their lifelong friend and local Priest has been taken seriously ill and they fear he could die.
A Ration Book Victory takes the reader back in time , both to the East End in 1945 and then back even further to Ireland in the nineteenth century. This is because two of the main characters in the story met in Ireland as children. These two characters are Queenie Brogan and Father Patrick Mahone. Queenie was not always known by this name because her real name is Philomena and her maiden name was Dooley. Patrick was a farmer`s son.
Philomena and Patrick first set eyes on each other while attending a church service with their families. They became friends and then sweethearts, but their love was not meant to be. They met several years later when Queenie moved to the East End with her husband and Patrick was the Priest of their neighbourhood. So after knowing each other for many decades it comes as a shock to Queenie when Patrick is taken ill and she realises how much he has meant to her over the years.
https://uk.bookshop.org/a/8054/978183...
A Ration Book Victory takes the reader back in time , both to the East End in 1945 and then back even further to Ireland in the nineteenth century. This is because two of the main characters in the story met in Ireland as children. These two characters are Queenie Brogan and Father Patrick Mahone. Queenie was not always known by this name because her real name is Philomena and her maiden name was Dooley. Patrick was a farmer`s son.
Philomena and Patrick first set eyes on each other while attending a church service with their families. They became friends and then sweethearts, but their love was not meant to be. They met several years later when Queenie moved to the East End with her husband and Patrick was the Priest of their neighbourhood. So after knowing each other for many decades it comes as a shock to Queenie when Patrick is taken ill and she realises how much he has meant to her over the years.
https://uk.bookshop.org/a/8054/978183...
May 22, 2022
A final flourish to tie up this series nicely. Not only set in the East End of London, just as world war 2 is slowly dragging to a close, it also takes us back to matriarch Queenie's early life in Ireland. This is when she meets and falls in love with Patrick, but true love never runs smoothly as he is promised to the church. Now both Queenie and Father Mahon are old and she feels it's time he knew the truth ( a truth we've probably all guessed a long time ago)
As the menfolk eventually get demobbed and come home from the war, the daughters and daughter-in-law of the Brogan family can't wait, all except Cathy who has no idea what has happened to her nazi sympathiser husband Stan. All she wants is to rid of him so she can marry her new love Archie.
As in all the books, the stories are led by the strong female characters, there are pregnancies, births, a wedding, and one expected- and still very sad- death.
Now life is looking brighter, Jerimiah's business is taking off in a big way, and their house is missing part of its roof due to bomb damage, it's time for the Brogans to leave the East End, off for new beginnings.
As the menfolk eventually get demobbed and come home from the war, the daughters and daughter-in-law of the Brogan family can't wait, all except Cathy who has no idea what has happened to her nazi sympathiser husband Stan. All she wants is to rid of him so she can marry her new love Archie.
As in all the books, the stories are led by the strong female characters, there are pregnancies, births, a wedding, and one expected- and still very sad- death.
Now life is looking brighter, Jerimiah's business is taking off in a big way, and their house is missing part of its roof due to bomb damage, it's time for the Brogans to leave the East End, off for new beginnings.
May 6, 2022
This is the eighth and final book in the ration book series. The series centres around the Brogan family who are living in London's East End during World War 2. Each instalment can easily be read as standalone novels which is awesome. However, if you want to get to know all of the characters inside out then I would definitely recommend checking out the other books in the series!
In this story the focus is around Queenie and father Patrick Mahon, we jump between the past and the present and learn of their ups and downs and how they have reached this point in their lives. Their story is emotional, exciting, inspiring and full of secrets. We also have the usual soap style drama between the characters.
I think that one reason I am drawn to this particular series is because my late grandmother would have loved these books and would have been recommending them to me!
This was a solid 5 star read for me!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I would like to thank Rachel’s random resources for providing me with a review copy of this book.
In this story the focus is around Queenie and father Patrick Mahon, we jump between the past and the present and learn of their ups and downs and how they have reached this point in their lives. Their story is emotional, exciting, inspiring and full of secrets. We also have the usual soap style drama between the characters.
I think that one reason I am drawn to this particular series is because my late grandmother would have loved these books and would have been recommending them to me!
This was a solid 5 star read for me!
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
I would like to thank Rachel’s random resources for providing me with a review copy of this book.
May 9, 2022
Take one extended family and a matriarch who keeps the family together and you know there is going to be many a story to tell! But in this case it's the matriarch whose story and secret is going to have a knock on effect on all their lives!! Well then, you know you're in for a treat!!
Although I had already made my mind up as to what 'the secret' was. I still felt compelled to read to the end, if nothing else to see if my hunch was right, but most of all I wanted, No, I had to find out if Queenie did tell Patrick in the end!
I even began to question myself after several twists and turns!!
My mother had told me of her experiences during the war and also with rationing. She also said how families and neighbours supported each other, along with the joy of when the war ended.
I really felt this book captured all the emotions, joys and sorrows throughout.
You became part of this family whilst reading (even acquiring an Irish accent-or was that just me Haha)! A book you could read over and over again!!
Although I had already made my mind up as to what 'the secret' was. I still felt compelled to read to the end, if nothing else to see if my hunch was right, but most of all I wanted, No, I had to find out if Queenie did tell Patrick in the end!
I even began to question myself after several twists and turns!!
My mother had told me of her experiences during the war and also with rationing. She also said how families and neighbours supported each other, along with the joy of when the war ended.
I really felt this book captured all the emotions, joys and sorrows throughout.
You became part of this family whilst reading (even acquiring an Irish accent-or was that just me Haha)! A book you could read over and over again!!
May 22, 2022
This was a great continuation of the Ration Book series, shame it’s a last one as it would have been great to see what the family get up to after the war. This book features the story of Queenie, the family matriarch, both in London at the end of the war and back home in Ireland in the late 1800’s as well as continuing on with the lives of the rest of the family. Although some family members had already guessed Queenie’s secret it was fascinating to see young Queenie’s life and how her love for Patrick Mahon and hopes of marriage were thwarted by his family. In 1945 the family are still struggling with the effects of war but you can see hope for the future and change in the air. There was still fantastic camaraderie in this and Patrick’s sister Nora was quite a harridan! Overall this series has tracked events and the effects of the war on the day to day lives really well and kept a great positivity going despite the hardships and devastation of the times but sadly all good things must come to and end.
May 26, 2022
Queenie Brogan wasn't always an East End matriarch. Many years ago, before she married Fergus, she was Philomena Dooley, a daughter of Irish Travellers, planning to wed her childhood sweetheart, Patrick Mahone. But when tragedy struck and Patrick's narrow-minded sister, Nora, intervened, the lovers were torn apart.
Fate can be cruel, and when Queenie arrives in London she finds that Patrick Mahon is her parish priest, and that the love she had tried to suppress flares again in her heart.
But now in the final months of WW2, Queenie discovers Father Mahon is dying and must face losing him forever. Can she finally tell him the secret she has kept for over fifty years or will Nora once again come between them?
And if Queenie does decide to finally tell Patrick, could the truth destroy the Brogan family?
Another great book from this Author, who invites us into the East End of London during and after World War 2 and experience what life and love was like for the women during these turbulent times. I really enjoyed it.
Fate can be cruel, and when Queenie arrives in London she finds that Patrick Mahon is her parish priest, and that the love she had tried to suppress flares again in her heart.
But now in the final months of WW2, Queenie discovers Father Mahon is dying and must face losing him forever. Can she finally tell him the secret she has kept for over fifty years or will Nora once again come between them?
And if Queenie does decide to finally tell Patrick, could the truth destroy the Brogan family?
Another great book from this Author, who invites us into the East End of London during and after World War 2 and experience what life and love was like for the women during these turbulent times. I really enjoyed it.
May 1, 2022
I’ve enjoyed meeting the Brogan family in this series and was pleased to read that we would find out how Queenie met Father Mahon in this book.
The war is drawing to a close at the start of the book, although the threat of the V2 bombs remains. Ida, Jeremiah and their children continue to cope with loved ones being in the Armed Forces liberating Europe, and rationing in the UK.
Father Mahon is taken ill and Queenie has flashbacks to their friendship, when she was known as Philomena back in Ireland during her childhood. But will she let Father Mahon know the secret she has kept for fifty years?
I’ve enjoyed this series and I’m pleased to say that this book is a worthy finale. There are many reminders about how life didn’t suddenly change back to normal on VE day, and how families had to adjust to civilian life.
A lovely mix of family life, friendship, memories and history, and a nod to our Queen too (the VE day celebrations sounded fun). Happy to recommend this book (and the series) to readers of my
The war is drawing to a close at the start of the book, although the threat of the V2 bombs remains. Ida, Jeremiah and their children continue to cope with loved ones being in the Armed Forces liberating Europe, and rationing in the UK.
Father Mahon is taken ill and Queenie has flashbacks to their friendship, when she was known as Philomena back in Ireland during her childhood. But will she let Father Mahon know the secret she has kept for fifty years?
I’ve enjoyed this series and I’m pleased to say that this book is a worthy finale. There are many reminders about how life didn’t suddenly change back to normal on VE day, and how families had to adjust to civilian life.
A lovely mix of family life, friendship, memories and history, and a nod to our Queen too (the VE day celebrations sounded fun). Happy to recommend this book (and the series) to readers of my
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